Sweet senior kitty Smokey urgently needs our help

Recently rescued from the small island of Moloka‘i, Smokey was rushed to the hospital after suffering a severe neurological seizure and being diagnosed with pneumonia. Her condition was critical, and she needed immediate, intensive care to survive.

Veterinarians quickly began a full diagnostic workup to find the cause of her pneumonia and determine whether she could fully recover. She underwent ultrasounds, an echocardiogram, and extensive bloodwork. Thankfully, all of these tests came back normal—confirming that she wasn’t in heart failure. Instead, doctors discovered age-related thickening of her heart wall, which, while considered normal in older cats, is still concerning.

Smokey’s road has been incredibly difficult. She spent more than a week in critical care and remains on a feeding tube to prevent refeeding syndrome after going without proper nutrition for several weeks. The good news is that she’s beginning to show interest in food again and is responding well to fluids and antibiotics. Small victories mean everything—but we're not out of the woods yet.

Based on her symptoms, veterinarians suspect she may have neurological FIP, and she has now begun treatment for that as well. Her prognosis is hopeful, but the cost of keeping her alive and giving her a chance at a healthy future has quickly grown overwhelming.

Smokey has already had weeks of costly, round-the-clock care, and her medical bills continue to climb. She is fighting with everything she has, and her rescuers at RKH are doing the same—with extremely limited resources. Now that she has made it through the most dangerous part of her journey, we’re asking for your support.

Any donation, no matter the size, will help give Smokey the chance to thrive for years to come. Thank you for helping this brave senior girl continue her fight.

1/25/26 Update

Her VCA doctors feel she most likely has a cancerous brain tumor, as they basically ruled all other issues out, and that her time with us is limited. But right now she is still here, still very much herself, and still wrapped in so much love. Because of all you, she has comfort, peace, and dignity. She has wonderful doctors who make sure she is not in pain. She is simply living her days surrounded by love, exactly as every soul deserves.